My sense is that Bills coach Chan Gailey would love to use the No. 3 pick on a quarterback. He’s an offensive-minded coach with a reputation as someone who can develop quarterbacks, so of course he’d cherish a shot at Cam Newton or Blaine Gabbert. I just hope he and Buddy Nix resist the temptation and doesn’t reach for Newton or Gabbert at No. 3.

I think they will.

Chan Gailey loves quarterbacks, but he needs to show restraint and not pick one at No. 3.

First of all, I think Carolina is going to make the mistake of the draft and pick Newton No. 1, so he probably won’t be an option for the Bills. Hey, if nothing else, I have an opinion, and Lord knows I’m not always right, but I just don’t think Newton is going to be a good pro, certainly not good enough to justify being the No. 1 overall pick. And, for that matter, not good enough to justify being taken third by the Bills.

I have nothing against the kid, and maybe I will be wrong and he’ll turn out to be the next Tom Brady. I doubt it, but you never know. As for Gabbert, he’s not worth the No. 3 pick, period, though I think he could end up being the better pro.

Here’s what Gailey said about picking a quarterback at No. 3:

“The advantage that we have in this is a rookie quarterback does not have to play; we have a good quarterback,” said Gailey, referring to Ryan Fitzpatrick. “That’s the best thing about our situation. You hope that you don’t pick three again for a very long time. So if there’s a guy that is sitting there that you believe is a so-called franchise quarterback, if you pass it up at this point for the long-term best interest of the franchise, that might not be the best decision to pass that guy up.

“The quick fix is to try to go fix the defense and we understand that and we need to try to get some more impact players on defense if we possibly can. That would help us in the more immediate future, but if you’re looking at the long term and you believe the guy is a franchise quarterback, you bring him in, you let him learn and sit behind Fitz.”

To me, that’s a smoke-screen. The Bills want other teams to think they are leaning toward a quarterback. What I read between the lines is this: Gailey likes Fitzpatrick, he thinks he can win with him, he knows the team has many needs, and it can’t afford to roll the dice on a QB at No. 3, especially not when they have a guy who can play if he gets some help around him, particularly in the form of an improved defense.

As I said last week, Von Miller is the guy I would pick. The Bills have needed a dominant outside linebacker forever, regardless of what scheme they have lined up in. Miller has a chance to be that player. If not Miller, I would not have a problem with them picking DT Marcel Dareus or Nick Fairley (though Fairley’s work ethic worries me a little). I also like D’Quan Bowers, but it appears his knee might be a problem and his stock is dropping.

In the second round, at No. 34, I’d take a look at a quarterback. Andy Dalton might be there, so might Colin Kaepernick. Perhaps even Ryan Mallett, you never know. I’d consider a QB at that spot, but I’d still resist. If I’m Gailey and Nix, I’d pick another defender, or an offensive tackle. Here’s the thing: Fitz has his limitations, but he’s fine for this year because this team isn’t making the playoffs whether it’s Fitz or Newton or Gabbert at QB.

Remember, there’s going to be another draft next year. There will be quarterbacks available, I’m pretty sure. Get the rebuilding on defense started this year, and move on to quarterback next year. The Bills aren’t escaping the AFC East basement unless Miami hits the skids. There’s a good chance they will be picking in the top 10 or 12 again. Go get a QB next year.

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For the best and most recent up-to-date coverage of the Buffalo Bills, the Bills Eye blog will be the place to be. Our coverage will be led by beat writer Sal Maiorana, who has covered the Bills full-time since 1990, and he will provide live updates throughout the season from training camp at St. John Fisher College, from practices at One Bills Drive, and from all games home and away. Sports columnist Leo Roth will also add perspective he has gleaned from more than 25 years of covering the team, and staff writers and editors including Steve Bradley, Mark Dwyer, Scott Norris and Todd Clausen will add content whenever news breaks via posts or tweets.